Shloka 21

Tapas-śreṣṭhatā: Anāśana as the Highest Austerity

Bhagīratha–Brahmā Saṃvāda

Devanagari script

सप्त चान्यानि युक्तानि वाजिभि: समलंकृतै: । ब्रह्म! पितामह! फिर स्वर्णहारसे विभूषित हरे रंगवाले सत्रह करोड़ श्यामकर्ण घोड़े

Transliteration

sapta cānyāni yuktāni vājibhiḥ samalaṅkṛtaiḥ | brahman pitāmaha |

Translation

Bhagīratha sprach: „O Brahmane, o ehrwürdiger Ahn (Pitāmaha)! Auch gab ich sieben weitere (Gefährte/Anspannungen), mit wohlgeschmückten Pferden bespannt.“ Im Zusammenhang betont dies die Ethik des dāna (freigebigen Gebens): Opfergaben werden nicht nur zum Schein dargebracht, sondern in Vollständigkeit, Schönheit und Angemessenheit—damit die Gabe dem Empfänger wirklich nützt und die heilige Pflicht ehrt.

Word by Word

• सप्त: seven
• सप्त: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सप्त
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• अन्यानि: other (things)
• अन्यानि: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Plural

• युक्तानि: yoked/attached
• युक्तानि: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युज्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Plural, Past passive participle (क्त)

• वाजिभिः: with horses
• वाजिभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाजिन्
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• समलंकृतैः: well-adorned
• समलंकृतैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + अलं + कृ
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural, Past passive participle (क्त)

Speaker

भगीरथ उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhagīratha
• Brahman (addressed sage/priest)
• Pitāmaha (Grandsire; typically Bhīṣma in Anuśāsana-parvan)
• horses

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse supports the dharma of dāna: gifts should be given in a worthy, complete, and beneficial form (properly equipped and adorned), reflecting sincerity rather than mere display.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhagīratha is recounting acts of donation to an elder authority (addressed as Brahman and Grandsire), describing additional gifts—vehicles/sets yoked with well-decorated horses—within a broader discussion of meritorious giving.